The Son of Vader
by supremecommandervader
Summary: Fifteen years after ROTS, Father and Son, separated at birth are reunited. How will this change the galaxy? Darth Vader adapts to his role as a father, and Luke adapts to a whole different way of life...not to mention finding out his father was not only alive, but also the second most powerful man in the Empire...this is a Dark Luke story!
1. Chapter 1

**The Son of Vader: Chapter One**

* * *

Blinking his eyes awake, Luke Skywalker looked around at his surroundings with confusion swirling around in his mind. Then everything that happened in the last couple of days flooded back to the surface.

He still couldn't believe it.

Even two days later, Luke still couldn't believe that _Darth Vader_-of all people!-was _his _father. It came as quite a shock to him when he saw that Lambda-class shuttle fly closer and closer and eventually land outside his homestead back on Tatooine and saw the hulking black form of Darth Vader walk down the ramp.

Luke was frozen still. He didn't know what to do. _What's_ he _doing here?_ he couldn't help thinking at the time, and in the next couple of hours everything he ever believed turned out to be wrong. His father didn't abandon him.

He didn't even know he _existed_.

His father didn't tell him much more than that, just that he thought he died with his mother during childbirth. A lot of questions formed in his mind just from that tidbit of information, but it was clear that his father didn't want to talk about it. And Luke didn't want to anger him by asking more questions.

After that, Vader-his father!-told him to go pack up, that he'd be going to live with him now. He didn't even get to say bye to his friends. Biggs was already gone though, he left for the Academy a few months before. Windy was really his only other friend there.

But Luke didn't have much of a choice and even if he did, he would've left with his father anyway. His father might scare him, _a lot_, but Luke knew they belonged together.

They're father and son, they should be-

"Good, you're awake," Luke tensed at the sound of the mechanical baritone voice and swung his head around to look at the form of his father at the door of his new room. Luke almost shivered at the sound of the mechanical breathing, the rhythmic _ooh-aah_. "I thought you were going to sleep all day, it is afternoon already."

Luke didn't know what to say. He didn't realize he slept so late either. When was the last time he slept into the afternoon? Did he ever? Luke wasn't sure.

His father stepped closer, Luke remained where he was, still lying down in bed. "I have things to do, I trust you will be fine on your own?"

Luke met his father's gaze. And even though he couldn't see his eyes, Luke somehow knew he was staring right into them, right through the mask. He had the strange sense that if he did see his father's eyes, that they'd match his own. He didn't know how he knew that, but he had the feeling he did and he learned to trust his feelings. "Ah," he paused, hesitating. He wasn't sure if he'd be overstepping by asking how long he was going to be gone for.

But, as it turned out, he didn't have to wonder. "I should return by tonight. If you need anything," his father stepped over to the nightstand next to Luke's massive new bed and picked something up, flicked it open, and tapped a few buttons. "This is a standard comlink, I will get you your own encrypted one soon. In the meantime, I am speed dial number one, if you need me. Otherwise, the servants should be able to assist you. When you're hungry, just go tell them and they'll make you anything you desire." His father placed the comlink back down and hooked his thumbs into his belt. "Anything else you need before I leave?"

Luke thought about it for a minute, then shook his blond head. This was still too much for him, he imagined it would take some time for him to adjust to things around here.

"Very well," his father turned to leave his room. "Have a good day, Son." He closed the door behind himself, leaving a reeling Luke alone.

_Son_. He couldn't explain the joy he felt hearing his father call him that. It sounded so natural coming out of his father's mouth too...or his mask, anyway. Luke sighed, wondering what put his father into that suit. But he shoved that thought away and shook his head.

Sitting up, he threw the soft silk and satin covers off of himself and threw his legs over the side of the massive bed. He'd only been here for a night now, he came in when it was pitch dark outside the night before and didn't get to take a look around. He was gonna do that now, he decided.

Standing up, he felt the plush carpet under his bare feet and reveled in the softness of it. He looked around the room, taking it all in, and could barely believe it was _his_ room. It had to easily be five times bigger than his old bedroom back on Tatooine. Maybe bigger.

It was certainly a lot nicer too. His new bedroom had two windows, one on either side of his massive bed. They were covered with blinds and drapes, Luke walked over to one window and pushed the heavy drapes to the side and drew the blinds. His breath caught in his throat at what he saw outside.

The sun was bright and shining down on him. He noted only one sun and smiled, that would take some getting used too. He was used to Tatooine's twin suns. Outside, he saw nothing but green and blue. Green grass, trees, and a..._pond?_ There was a large round fountain too, and beyond that and the walls that seemed to border around his new home, he saw what appeared to be, a large blue ocean.

He never saw so much blue in his life! Green too! Not like this. He saw trees and grass in holobooks, on the HoloNet, but never in real-life before. In that instant, he wanted to feel the grass under his feet, feel the water in his hand.

He turned around and made his way to the door. He nearly made it there, before remembering he only had his sleep pants on. He couldn't go out like that. He looked around his room for his bag and found it near the door. He opened it and found a pair of pants and a shirt, they were his farmer white clothes, he only hoped they'd be warm enough to wear outside.

He didn't care all that much though, he just wanted to get outside. He left his boots at the door to his room and changed into his clothes. When he was done, he went back to the door and opened it up. He stepped into the hall and looked left and right, he saw stairs leading down to his right and walked over to them.

Reaching the stairs, he ran down them in a hurry and when he reached the bottom he almost bumped into someone. "S-sorry," he said, sheepishly.

Luke was fifteen, he knew better than to run around indoors. Uncle Owen told him a million times before...he just happened to get a little excited and forgot. It happens. What can he say?

The man he almost bumped into, straightened immediately at the sight of him. "Master Luke, I apologize sir." Luke was taken back by the title. _Master?_ He was never called that before. "I'm Gavin, the Majordomo of Lord Vader's Castle. If-"

Luke tuned out everything..._Gavin,_ he believed the man said his name was, after he mentioned Castle. _Castle?_ He didn't know what to think anymore. This was too much, too fast for a fifteen-year-old moisture farmer from Tatooine. He went from living on a moisture farm on a poor Outer Rim desert world to living on Imperial Center in a..._Castle?_

How was this _his_ life?

"Master?" Gavin said, pulling Luke from his thoughts. "Would you like that tour now?"

Luke didn't hear him mention anything about a tour, but then again, he did tune him out. Having a tour of his new home would be helpful. He'd need to know where everything was. He didn't need a servant to make him something to eat, after all. He could do it himself.

Luke looked back to Gavin, realizing he didn't answer the tall man yet. "Sure," he said, shrugging one shoulder.

Gavin made a gesture to him and Luke followed behind. Luke took everything in as he was given the full tour. All of the drapes were pulled to the sides and the blinds were drawn, letting in the light from outside. It was bright, but not as bright as he knew it'd be on Tatooine. They didn't even have windows there, mostly because the homestead was underground.

Biggs did at his house though. His family was rather wealthy, and they had no problem showing it. His house was even above ground. Luke always remembered being jealous when he saw what they had. But they had nothing on this.

Luke shoved his past out of his mind and followed Gavin through the lower level of the castle as he pointed out each room and described them in detail. He walked through the large dining room which had ten chairs sitting around it, a full chef's kitchen, a sitting room- whatever that was, a living room, a refresher, and a garage. There were large marble pillars, exotic plants that Luke never saw before or even knew anything about, art hanging up on the wall of a beautiful planet Luke never saw before and tapestries Luke only ever saw in HoloDramas.

And that was only on the first floor of the residential wing of the castle. There's a servants wing too, that only the servants use and reside in. The second floor of the residential wing had his bedroom, his father's bedroom which was to the left of his and then they had a guest room that was across from Luke's.

"Before last night, Lord Vader hadn't been here in over a year." Gavin told him, leading him into his bedroom. "I'm not sure if Lord Vader showed you around last night or not, so I'll do it real quick." Inside the room, were three doors besides the door leading out to the hall. "The en-suite refresher is here, you have your sink with a full vanity. A toilet, obviously. Then a full shower and bath," Luke eyed both the shower and bath carefully.

He never had a real water shower before, let alone a bath. They only had sonic showers on Tatooine. Water was precious on Tatooine. And now that he was thinking about it, a shower sounded real good. Or maybe a bath...

"You also have," Gavin led him back outside into his room and showed him what was behind one of the other doors. "A full walk-in closet. We'll have to get you some new clothes, but we can talk about that later." Luke felt fully aware of the clothes he wore now. Yeah...farmer whites probably wouldn't be everyday wear around this planet. He even felt under dressed in his new home..._a castle?!_ It still blew his mind. "You also have your own study here, should you need to get any work done, this is the place to do it."

Luke looked around his study and felt his eyes widen. He didn't know if he would ever use this room, but he was sure it would be useful if he did. The room was littered with technology on the main desk and the walls. It was also pretty big too, at least twice the size of his old room. And it was only a study!

"Would you like to go outdoors?"

Luke snapped his head around in response, making Gavin laugh. "Definitely," he nodded, grinning, then he followed Gavin back out to his room, into the hall, down the stairs and out the front door.

Once again he was stopped in his tracks. He was at the top of a large curving marble staircase that led down to a circular driveway with a large fountain in the middle that shot water high into the clear blue sky. Luke was mesmerized at the sight, and closely followed the water with his eyes as it shot out of the top of the fountain, high into the sky and then back down into the fountain.

When he snapped out of the fountain's trance, he turned his head to the right where the grass he saw earlier was with a lot of trees and shrubs. To his left was a lot of the same. Green, green and more green.

He never saw so much green before in his life!

Gavin said nothing, he just stood next to him and let him take in the sight before his eyes. "Walk with me," Gavin finally said.

Luke followed him down the stairs and off to the right at the bottom of the steps, it was hot and Luke had to run to the grass where it was cool and soft under his bare feet. He left his boots upstairs, he wanted to feel the grass under his feet and he couldn't believe how good it felt. The blades of the grass even tickled. He smiled at the sensation and followed Gavin over to the large pond within the walls of the castle's grounds.

The water wasn't as blue as the ocean he saw beyond the walls but it was still more water than he'd ever seen back on Tatooine. And he didn't have to squeeze it out of the arid atmosphere- that made it even better.

Luke walked closer to the pond and saw sand before the water, he grimaced at the sight of it, then walked over to it and noticed it was a lot softer than it was back on Tatooine. Then he bent down and felt the cool water with his hand, splashing the water around. He felt a wide grin make its way on his face, it felt incredible.

He was so caught up in how amazing it felt that he didn't even notice that Gavin let him be. Coming from Tatooine, this was a big change in his life. He had a feeling that his father knew that, and made himself scarce to let Luke enjoy his new surroundings.

It was peaceful to be surrounded by so much green and blue. To not have to deal with sandstorms, sand people, or the desert way of life he was used too. His life as he knew it was over, and he was looking forward to seeing where his new life was heading. If it was anything like this, Luke was sure he'd enjoy it.

* * *

Lord Darth Vader arrived at the Imperial Palace, shortly after he left his...son back at his castle. _Son_. Darth Vader shook his head. That would take some getting used too, that was for sure.

Fifteen years. For fifteen years he believed he'd killed his beloved wife in a fit of rage, his child along with her. It wasn't until a few days ago that his master felt a disturbance in the Force, a disturbance that led to him finally tracking down Obi-Wan Kenobi and getting his revenge.

Just as he was about to swing the killing blow, he felt his old master's anxiety grow. But he knew the anxiety had nothing to do with him, or with dying for that matter. It had to do with someone else...a boy. A teenager. One with blond hair and blue eyes. A cleft chin. A boy with a quick smile and that was full of adventure. He could see that all on his mind, and he reached out in a fit of rage and began choking Obi-Wan.

He began choking him because he felt just how powerful that boy was, and he knew the teen was close by. He wanted Obi-Wan to know that when he was done with him, that he'd kill his apprentice too, except he would make the teen's death ten folds more painful than his would be.

That was when he heard his old master gasp something. He let up to see what he was trying to say, and what he said shocked him. It shocked him to his very core and shook him, like he'd never been shaken before. _He's your son,_ Obi-Wan choked out. Three words and they changed everything.

He had a son. He felt it then. The _extremely_ strong connection the teen had to the Force. His age- fifteen, which was how long it's been since he earned his new name. His eyes. His hair. His cleft chin. He knew the teen was his and he wasn't going to waste another moment apart.

Darth Vader killed his old master, plunging his old master in the heart with his lightsaber. He deactivated his blade, then watched in astonishment as Obi-Wan's body disappeared in thin air. He didn't give it a second thought, just grabbed Obi-Wan's lightsaber, clipped it to his belt and got back on his speeder bike to ride back to his shuttle and fly to where his son was.

He never felt as nervous as he did then. Anakin felt nervous plenty of times, but he wasn't Anakin. He was Darth Vader, a Dark Lord of the Sith and he feared nothing. He led armies, commanded fleets and met enemies in dogfights in his TIE Advance x1, head on. Meeting a fifteen year old shouldn't have made him feel as nervous as he did, he knew this boy wasn't just a boy though.

The boy was his son. And chances were, he didn't know who his father was. He might not've even known he had a father who was still alive. Vader felt his anxiety worsen and it only got worse when he saw the teen outside in his stained farmer whites working on a moisture vaporator.

His anxiety disappeared in a flash, his anger was too strong and powerful. It even made him shake in rage. His son shouldn't be living as a poor moisture farmer on a backwater world like Tatooine! He should be on Imperial Center with him, living as the Imperial royalty he is.

Vader felt his resolve harden and made his move.

"Ah- Lord Vader." The Emperor's raspy old voice shook him out of his mind and he dropped to a knee and bowed his head on instinct. He was too stuck in his mind to realize he'd even walked here or reached his master's throne room. "Rise, my friend."

Vader could feel his master's curiosity graze against his mind. He didn't push in or even try too, even though he could. Sidious trusted his apprentice, something most Sith Master's wouldn't, but they weren't most masters and apprentices. Vader knew his master could feel something was on his mind and he wanted Vader to tell him what's going on.

So he did. He told him everything. He told him about what he found on Tatooine, that this disturbance led him to his sworn enemy. How he out-dueled him, beat him into the sand and choked the life out of him. Then...he told him about Obi-Wan's confession and what he did afterwards.

He absently handed his master Obi-Wan's lightsaber and told him about his son. He didn't know much, but he did know he looked like his younger self and was extremely powerful in the Force. Just as much as they were, maybe even more than them both.

"Will he do?"

Vader didn't have to think about that question for longer than a second. "Over time, yes. Especially when he finds out about the Jedi and what they did to him. That they kept him from _me_...and his rightful place in the galaxy. I just think we need to tread lightly, I know from experience that it will take time for him to adapt."

He didn't know what else to say, he just remembered what life was like for a certain nine-year-old that was taken from everything he ever knew and was forced into a whole new way of life. Granted, Luke wouldn't have to grow up like Anakin did. He wouldn't be forced to forget his past, to stop feeling his emotions, to not get attached to anything or anyone, to not..._be who he is._

And Vader hadn't one clue who his son really was. Sure, he'd seen glimpses into his son's mind when he was asleep on the shuttle ride here but he didn't feel right intruding on his son's thoughts and on his past. That wouldn't help them connect, wouldn't help them establish a father-son bond.

He wanted his son to open up to him, to stop being afraid. He knew it would take time and that may be more time than he had on his hands at the moment. But what else could he do? He knew who he was and his son obviously did too.

The Empire's Sith Lord.

The Supreme Commander of the Imperial Forces.

Second-in-Command of the Empire.

The Emperor's Enforcer.

He could go on and on. But the point is, he isn't someone a young teen could easily warm up too. It will take time, all he could do is be there and try to get his son to get used to being around him and see that he would never hurt him.

At least not intentionally.

"I'd like to meet young Skywalker for myself." His master's voice echoed in the empty throne room. "In one week's time, take that time to get to know him. I'm sure that'll be enough time for him to adapt, I'll assess him then. If I like what I see, then you may begin training him."

He was about to speak when his master continued.

"But remember, he's _fifteen_. He still has some growing up to do before he's to be a Sith."

Like usual, his master knew what was on his mind. The _Jedi_ wasn't ready and he was twenty-two, a Jedi Knight and a General in the Clone Wars. Vader won't make the same mistakes with his son that Obi-Wan made with Anakin.

He'll ease his son into it, make him comfortable with using the Force and mastering his power over it before leading him into using the dark side. But even on Tatooine, he saw darkness in his son. He knew he was capable of darkness, just like he was.

But only time will tell.

"Thank you, Master." It went exactly as he expected it too. He bowed to his master and made his way out of the throne room. His mind went immediately back to his son, he didn't give the bureaucrats or courtiers a single glance as he passed them in the ornate corridors of the palace. He made his way to the hangar bay on instinct and took his airspeeder back to his castle on the shore of the Great Western Sea.

He had a feeling his son would like it there. It's nicer, greener and bluer than his own palace immediately next to the Imperial Palace. From there, you can only see the Imperial Palace, the Senate building and the vast city-planet sprawled out around them.

But that's nothing that would interest Luke. Nothing that would even interest him. But then again, that was why he was rarely here on Imperial Center- something that would undoubtedly change now that he had a reason to be here.

Luke. He thought about his son the whole ride back to the castle.

* * *

The Emperor watched as his apprentice left his throne room, and smiled as he left. He could feel his apprentice's mind focused on the boy and Palpatine couldn't help himself, he closed his eyes and stretched out with his feelings.

The dark side rushed to him as he bent the dark side to his will and extended that will all the way over towards the Great Western Sea. His smile widened at the feeling of the boy in the Force. He felt like a supernova, a feeling he only ever felt once before, and that was with his Apprentice.

Like Father, like Son, he thought.

_Yes, he shall do quite well,_ the Emperor cackled to himself. Then, he waved a gnarled hand towards his Royal Guards and decided he'd see some courtiers. He had an Empire to run and the Empire never slept.

* * *

**A/N: How'd you like this? I'm a big fan of stories like Dynasty, Empire's Son, One Missed Strike, Force Bond, and other stories that take a different approach on Luke and Darth Vader. I've been wanting to write my own Father/Son story and I will say this now, this is a Dark Luke story. Everybody has a dark side to them, Luke is no different.**

**As noted, Luke is also fifteen. So, this story will go through a lot. I'm definitely taking my time with it and not rushing by skipping years ahead. I want everyone to see the progression of Luke, I want it to be realistic. I also have a lot of plots, subplots, twists and turns that we'll see throughout this very long story.**

**I hope you enjoy!**

**Please follow, fave and review! Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

**The Son of Vader: Chapter Two**

* * *

Questions swirled through Darth Vader's mind as he flew his heavily modified, vintage airspeeder back to his castle. Images of Padmé flashed through his mind too. He was living with the guilt that he was responsible for her death for far too long, finding Luke obviously being very much alive, he began to wonder if it was possible that she was too.

That if her death was faked so she could hide from him. He wouldn't put it past Obi-Wan, especially not since he hid his son all this time. But he snuffed that thought out of his mind before he allowed it to take hold. If she was alive, would she really leave Luke behind on Tatooine? No, Vader didn't think she would. He also didn't even hear so much as a whisper about Padmé in these last fifteen years.

She was dead, at his direct hand or not...she was gone.

But their son wasn't, he was alive and breathing. He began to refocus his thoughts on his son and even reached out with the Force to find him.

He kept the Force centered around his son for the whole ride back. It centered him, calmed him…soothed him. He refused to allow himself to even _think_ of who he reminded him of.

After another ten or so minutes, he came to a landing in his underground garage and expertly parallel parked his airspeeder amongst his other vintage and custom built airspeeders. He's built quite the collection over the years.

He shut down his airspeeder and made his way through his castle and towards the front door. He knew his son was outside, near the pond and he wasn't surprised by that at all. His son used to choke moisture out of the arid atmosphere of Tatooine, and now it was just freely sitting before him in a larger quantity than he probably ever saw in one place before.

Of course he'd be outside checking it out.

Vader stepped down the marble steps and made his way towards his son. He could see him now. He could only see his back, he was sitting in the sand, next to the pond with his bare feet exposed and resting in the shallow water. He looked peaceful from where Vader was standing, so peaceful in fact that a part of him didn't want to disturb him.

But another part of him, a much _larger_ part of him, also did want too, because after all of this time apart, he wanted to be with his son for as long as he could be. The Emperor ordered him to take the week off and spend it with the boy, there's no telling what'll happen after that. Luke will have to settle in and get a new routine down pat. He's only fifteen too, so he'll have to go to school. And get new clothes, Vader's anger spiked, noticing the farmer white clothes his son was still wearing.

Luke's head spun around, his blue eyes widened at the sight of him and Vader could even see him visibly shiver. He cursed himself and let go of the anger he used to always cling to. That he used to always wrap around himself like a cloak. It wouldn't help here.

Vader didn't know what to do, he didn't want to keep scaring his son. But he also didn't know how to interact with teenagers. It's been so long since he was a teenager himself and he didn't want to remember what it was like for him then, because Luke's teenage years would be different.

_Very_ different.

He decided to say nothing for the moment, and instead swept his cape up from behind himself and took a seat next to his son, not too close, but close enough. Luke needed to get used to his presence. He might as well start now.

* * *

Luke was lost in thought, enjoying the feel of the freshwater surrounding his feet and the soft sand sifting through his fingers before he got jolted by a sudden coldness he felt deep in his bones. He jolted around only to find his father staring down at him, he was sure his father was angry but he didn't know why.

Just as his father noticed him shivering involuntarily, the anger and coldness he felt disappeared. His father was quiet, except for the rhythmic _ooh-ahh _sound of his respirator. He stood for what seemed like a long while before sitting down a couple of meters away from him.

Luke felt his lips twitch at how uncomfortable his father looked. He doubted his father ever sat out here before. Let alone dip his feet in the pond.

"Something amusing, young one?" his father asked him, and Luke couldn't stop using that word. He stopped thinking of him as Darth Vader and started to just think of him as..._father. _

He may be a lot of things to everyone else in the galaxy, but to Luke, he was only one thing. _His father._

Luke shrugged. "Not at all, Father. You just don't look very comfortable, is all." His voice was small and unsure. Not the way it usually was on Tatooine, but this wasn't Tatooine and Luke was unsure of what the future held for him here.

His father was silent for a minute before saying, "I can deal with being uncomfortable as long as _you_ are comfortable. Don't worry about me, Son. I've dealt with far, far worse." Luke didn't doubt that, but if he didn't worry about him, who would? "I've been given one week leave by the Emperor to spend with you." His father paused and Luke held his breath, he had a feeling he wasn't gonna like what he said next, and as it turned out, he was right. "The Emperor also wants to meet you."

Luke was thrilled that his father got leave...until he mentioned the Emperor wanting to meet him. That made him feel uncomfortable. Why would the ruler of the galaxy want to meet him?...a farmboy, even if he knew he wasn't _just _a farmboy. At least not anymore.

He was the Son of Vader, the Second in Command of the Empire. He guessed he shouldn't have been surprised, but he was. So much has changed in just two days. He went from being an Outer Rim farmboy to being the son of the second most powerful man in the Empire. In the galaxy.

How was he _supposed _to feel?

"I know this must be difficult for you, Son." His father continued. "You've been taken from everything you knew and were brought here, to a world very different from what you're used to. I've been there. Our situations are very different, but you have me here with you. I know that might be difficult at first, but I'm hoping you'll get over your fear of me, because I promise I won't hurt you. I'll help you adapt any way I can, I just need you to tell me what you need and not be afraid to speak up. I might be able to read minds, I'd just prefer to not have to invade your privacy to read yours."

Luke felt his lips tip up at the ends. "Deal...so long as you don't make me read yours. Because, y'know," he shrugged. "I can't."

"_Yet_," his father added, pointing an accusing gloved finger at him. "You can't _yet_. You're just as capable of reading minds as I am, and with the proper training, I'm sure you'll be able to read minds with ease."

Luke wasn't so sure, but he wasn't gonna point that out. Instead he opted to remain silent and shifted in the sand. Luke wasn't sure he'd ever measure up to whatever his father envisioned for him. His father was more powerful than he could ever imagine, what chance did he have of ever measuring up?

"Come with me," his father said, and Luke stood and followed his father without hesitation.

* * *

Darth Vader led his son back into the castle, Gavin intercepted him on the way inside. "Master, is there anything either of you require?" Vader shook his head and continued on, leading his son up the steps to their private floor.

Luke followed him up and he led him inside his private study. "Take a seat," Vader said, gesturing to the chairs across from his spacious desk that's littered with datapads and holopads of reports, requests and intelligence briefings that he's yet to get too. Running a galaxy isn't easy. Vader took a seat behind his desk and glanced at his son. Luke looked a lot like he did, he's just shorter than he was and he suspected Luke wouldn't get much taller than he already was. "One of the first things you should know about me is that I'm a busy man. I have a lot of business to attend to all over the Empire, so you shouldn't expect me to be around often. You'll have to learn to be self-sufficient. If you ever need assistance, there's always a servant or guard you could go to. You can also call me whenever you need me, and if I'm not busy, I'll answer or I'll return the call as soon as I have an available moment." Vader let Luke digest that for a moment, his son nodded and leaned back in his chair. "Another thing is, as my son, you'll be exposed to a lot of information that you need to keep to yourself, that means you need to keep secrets from anyone that isn't a part of my staff or the Emperor.

"This is one such secret," Vader reached up and pressed a button on the side of his mask. The rhythmic _ooh-aah_ stopped and he watched Luke's blue eyes widen in concern and fear, his feelings shifted to shock as he lifted his mask and helmet from his face and lowered them to the desk. "At one time, I _did _need this suit to keep me alive. I was badly maimed and left burning to death on the side of a river of lava. The Force kept me alive long enough for the Emperor to find me and bring me back here to Coruscant- the Imperial Center, to save me. I needed this suit for a while as we went through the process of healing me. I was so badly burned and injured that it took a long time, but finally, I could breathe with my own lungs again.

"However, since my arms and legs were cut off, I need prosthetics. The Force is capable of almost anything, the Dark Side of the Force is considered to be a pathway to many abilities some, especially the Jedi, consider to be...unnatural." Vader smirked to himself, remembering his Master saying almost the same thing to him once upon a time. Before he came to realize the truth and accepted who he was always meant to be. It may not have been in time to save the one he loved the most, at the time, but he's not the weak naive man he was then. He won't fail Luke, his son, like Anakin failed Padmé and his mother. "I was able to heal myself, with the Emperor's assistance, and undid most of the damage Obi-Wan Kenobi did to me. Regrowing limbs is not something that either of us have yet to learn, however. I don't even think it's possible, but at one time, I didn't think I'd be able to breathe with my own lungs again either, and look at me now."

Luke, the poor kid, looked freaked out. Vader guessed that he did just throw a lot at the teenager, but surely he was wondering what put him in the suit he surely needed if he wore it. And sure enough, after what seemed like hours, but was only minutes, Luke asked, "Then why wear the suit now? I mean, you...don't _need _to wear it anymore." He paused, unsure of himself. "Right?"

"Right," Vader nodded. "But it took a few years to heal me completely using the Force. I was stuck in this suit for a few years, so it made sense to keep it...with a few modifications, not to mention, it creates fear. People fear the unknown, and me wearing this suit, mask and helmet causes them to fear me. It also allows me to become someone new, to be Darth Vader, not Anakin Skywalker- the Jedi's Hero With No Fear during the Clone Wars. I made a name for myself in this suit. I became the feared man that I am today."

* * *

Luke's brain was running haywire, he had a lot to process. It made him happy though to see that his father didn't need to wear that suit. As much as it disturbed him to find out what put his father in the suit, he was glad that his father was able to heal his injuries...mostly anyway. And with the Emperor's help. Huh.

_The Emperor's help_. Did that mean the Emperor was like...his father? Apparently, like _him_?

"Yes, it does." His father answered him, his lips tilted into a smile making Luke wonder if he said that out loud or if his father read his mind. "That's another secret you need to keep, a secret that only the three of us as well as only a select few know." Luke could feel the tone behind those words, it seemed as if his father was trying to drill that into his mind. Luke's head began to hurt._ A lot_. "It should also serve as a reminder to you to always watch yourself around him, do _not _underestimate him, Son. I promise that you _will _regret it."

Luke could only nod. His father watched him for a few more moments with narrowed blue eyes then nodded towards the door. "You could go, I can sense that you learned enough for now. But trust me, that's _only_ the beginning. In the days to come, you'll learn a lot more and we'll start to get you situated with your new routine. This world is very much different than that of Tatooine. You have much yet to learn, Son." His father dismissed him with another nod towards the door and picked up a datapad off his desk.

Luke stood and left his father's study. His brain really did hurt, though it couldn't stop a goofy grin from forming on his lips. He looked just like his father. He wasn't sure if he'd look like him or his mother, that thought made him frown, he'd have to ask about her some other time. Not today though. Today, he needed to relax and let his brain wrap itself around everything he just learned. He found himself walking back down the stairs, out the front door, down the marble steps and back to the pond. He was still barefoot, so he put his feet right back in the pond and laid back in the sand that was so very much different than the sand he was used to.

Yep, Luke was sure he could get used to this.

* * *

Vader pretended to read the datapad as his son got up and left him alone in his study. It was true that his son had a lot left to learn. And he meant that, _a lot. _But Luke was his son- Padmé's son, _their_ son, he was sure Luke would rise to the occasion and exceed any and all expectations he had for him. His son had a bright future ahead of him, the Empire was lucky to have him.

_He_ was lucky to have him.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I didn't realize I first published this story back in September. I just typed this up figuring it'd be a good chapter to put out until the next one, which will be much longer. I'm already typing it up and I hope to get it posted around next weekend.**

**Unfortunately, for me anyway, I'm an essential employee so I've been busy due to COVID-19 and before that, my father passed away. I moved in with my sister and her family...it's been a tough time. **

**Anyway, I fully intend on writing this story and I fully intend on making it interesting. Just like with Vader not necessarily needing the suit and mask (but still wearing it, because why not? It's cool), after all, the Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities that some consider to be...unnatural. And we do know, even if it is Legends (which you'll definitely see a lot of Legends content here, FYI), that Darth Plagueis (Palpatine's Master) was a master at Sith Alchemy. He could create life, and even manipulate midi-chlorians. So, if he could manipulate midi-chlorians, is it really unfeasible to believe he could heal serious injuries such as those Darth Vader suffered? I think not. But I'm not going so far as to say he could regrow limbs, maybe he could, but healing organs and skin I don't think is too much of a reach compared to regrowing a lost limb. **

**Anywho, hope you guys enjoy! Please follow, fave and review! Thanks!**

**And stay safe and May the Force be With You...always!**


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